At-Spa Treatments

Day after Thanksgiving. You’ve eaten almost three times your weight in food. You feel sick. You feel bloated. You feel like you would like to ex-communicate yourself from certain family members… specifically Aunt Marge (I know no one who has an Aunt Marge, so this will not be offensive to anyone I know) who made that ridiculously delicious Apple Crumble dessert that you could literally taste the 4 sticks of butter that went into it, but didn’t care because it was so good. Let’s face it… you’re a few pounds heavier for the wear thanks to that all “Thankful” day! More like NO-THANK-ful day!!

You’re in need of a little detox… you’re in need of a Peau-Pay tea. pronounced: [poo-pee]

After my week-long Halloween sugar rush and before the barrage of wine and cheese-fueled holiday festivities, I thought it would be a good time to tackle a problem that many of us ignore this time of year… Cellulite!

Mais oui, “cellu-leete” (as the French coined the term, a.k.a orange-peel or cottage cheese skin) is a BUMMER for 80-90% of all women. Most women would give anything to be as cellulite-free as Kate Upton. Unfortunately, no matter how much self-tanner you use those darn dimples just keep puckering through, right? The good news is that I’m going to help you fight the good fight and get you feeling good enough to get into your skimpiest dress, or even your bikini, this holiday season. Read more »

CONFESSIONS OF A SUGAR ADDICT:

I’m an addict. A sugar addict. I suffer from the need to eat sweets at least once if not more than once a day. I have true withdrawal symptoms. I get irritable, grumpy and annoyed. Trust me, these are just a few of the emotions that come to mind if I think someone will take my sugar away from me. So for me Halloween is like my hall pass for eating endless sugar!

Well, as I type this I can honestly say, I’ve hit rock bottom. I’m pretty sure I say this every Halloween night, every year! But, I need a cleanse and I need one NOW!

I think I’ve just eaten about half my body’s weight in chocolate and candy over the last 3 days… YES! In my world Halloween is a 3 -day affair and I am entitled to consume massive amounts of sugar during this time! (Don’t look for rational around here, go to the other Michelle if you’re looking for that!)

So I’ve got this mass of sweets in my belly and I’m actually feeling like I NEED to get clean!

THE CANDY CLEANSE

I know it’s not easy, but take the Candy Cleanse Challenge with me and together we can do this!

There are FIVE steps and two weeks to this cleanse. (I can’t do much more than two weeks of anything, so this is a commitment!)

You, (most likely I) might cry, go through mood swings, but, you’ll be doing the best thing for your body (and mine) and I’m pretty sure we’ll drop a few pounds in the process… not a bad trade off if you ask me! Your metabolism will also reset itself and you’ll feel energized!

STEP ONE: STOP EATING ALL CANDY, SUGAR, AND PROCESSED SUGAR.

Put the kids candy away- throw it away if you have to! It’s not all that good for the kiddos either, so you’ll be doing them a favor too! If the temptation isn’t there, you won’t feel like you’re breaking a rule and have massive guilt. THROW IT AWAY!!! This means anything that has: Fructose, Maltose, Cane Sugar, and Syrup

STEP TWO: FILL YOUR FRIDGE WITH HEALTHY FOODS!

I’m talking fresh veggies & fruits. Foods filled with fiber! Crunchy foods! Cold, crisp foods! Apples, Sliced Red Bell Peppers, Cucumbers, Snap Peas, Zucchini. Also go for foods high in protein! Protein is filling, and the stomach breaks it down and absorbs it way better than any candy bar! Protein shakes are a great way to start the morning! They’ll give you energy and help you stay full and satisfied!

STEP THREE: SWAP YOUR SWEETS!

Go for natural sweeteners like Agave & Lucuma Powder. If you must use a sweetener for your tea or coffee- go for Stevia or Splenda.

STEP FOUR: PLAN YOUR MEALS.

If you plan your meals ahead of time you’re more likely to stick to the cleanse. This gives you less “free” time in your brain to stare in the pantry or fridge at all of the foods you wanna be munching on!

STEP FIVE: BE PREPARED FOR THE SWINGS!

Mood swings that is. You most likely are going to suffer from irritability, headaches, fatigue & constipation.

IRRITABILITY: Try taking SAM-e. It’s an all-natural mood booster. You can find it in any pharmacy. Think of it like natural anti-depressants that aren’t addictive and can really help with your hormone levels- Candy Cleanse aside, I swear by SAM-e the week before my period! Helps massively with PMS!

HEADACHES: Most headaches are caused by the toxins in your body being released… in this case, all the sugars- so I’ll skip right over to CONSTIPATION: If you’re finding that you’re constipated, MIRALAX is a gentle laxative that I swear by! You can also go for something like Metamucil. Just keep it movin and get it all out! Lastly, FATIGUE: If you’re finding that you’re just in a slump, after you drop the kids off at school, go on that walk or hike… get your booty in the gym… SWEAT IT OUT! Make sure you sweat at least a few times a week!

Helpful hints; If you find that you’re hungry and you need to eat something or are craving something sweet… pour yourself a nice cup of hot mint or ginger tea! Add a teeny bit of Agave if you need a sweetener and sip it slowly! Not only will it fill your tummy, the craving should pass in a few minutes!

Lastly, WATER! WATER! & WATER! Keep drinking water! The more water you drink, the more you flush your system! Add a little lemon slices or fresh mint and it’s even better!

Before you know it, we’ll be doing a detox cleanse from Thanksgiving! So for now, start here…I’m on it starting today! So if my posts are starting to sound a bit grumpy you’ll know why!

I’d love to hear how you’re doing on THE CANDY CLEANSE CHALLENGE~ write to me at michellekaram@momsgonezen.com

Are you suffering from a cold, fever, or even worse, the full-blown flu? If so, here’s a very effective detox bath that will help you feel better and speed recovery. I like to soak in this herbal bath for at least 45 minutes at the first sign of a cold. Try it, I promise it works! Read more »